Nutrient requirements of sheep

Knowing the nutrient requirements of different types of sheep is fundamental to raising healthy animals. This series of tables1 provides the nutrient requirements of sheep in pounds and as a percentage of diet. Individual tables show requirements for mature ewes, ewe lambs and ram lambs, and growing and finishing lambs. The nutrient requirements can be used to evaluate the nutrient contents of your hay and grain. Using the tables, rations can be balanced to give sheep the nutrients they need.

Instructions

Select your class of sheep (mature ewes, ewe lambs and ram lambs, or growing and finishing lambs), the sheep weight, stage of gestation or lactation or replacement sheep, and rate of gain desired.
Then read across the rows to find the amount or percentage of each nutrient listed.
Use the nutrient requirements to compare to the nutrient contents of your hay and grain.
Balance rations using appropriate amounts of each feed so that nutrient requirements are met. See Sheep and Goat Ration Balancing for details.

Mature ewes

Table 1. Daily nutrient requirements (amounts and percentages in diet dry matter) of mature ewes
	Weight (lb)	Wt Change (lb/day)	DM Intake (lb)	DM Intake (%BW)	TDN (lb)	TDN (%)	Protein (lb)	Protein (%)	Ca (g)	P (g)	Vitamin A (IU)	Vitamin E (IU)
Maintenance	110	0.02	2.2	2.00%	1.2	54.55%	0.21	9.55%	2	1.8	2,350	15
	132	0.02	2.4	1.82%	1.3	54.17%	0.23	9.58%	2.3	2.1	2,820	16
	154	0.02	2.6	1.69%	1.5	57.69%	0.25	9.62%	2.5	2.4	3,290	18
	176	0.02	2.9	1.65%	1.6	55.17%	0.27	9.31%	2.7	2.8	3,760	20
	198	0.02	3.1	1.57%	1.7	54.84%	0.29	9.35%	2.9	3.1	4,230	21
Flushing — 2 Weeks prebreeding and first 3 weeks of breeding	110	0.22	3.5	3.18%	2.1	60.00%	0.33	9.43%	5.3	2.6	2,350	24
	132	0.22	3.7	2.80%	2.2	59.46%	0.34	9.19%	5.5	2.9	2,820	26
	154	0.22	4	2.60%	2.3	57.50%	0.36	9.00%	5.7	3.2	3,290	27
	176	0.22	4.2	2.39%	2.5	59.52%	0.38	9.05%	5.9	3.6	3,760	28
	198	0.22	4.4	2.22%	2.6	59.09%	0.39	8.86%	6.1	3.9	4,230	30
Nonlactating — First 15 weeks gestation	110	0.07	2.6	2.36%	1.5	57.69%	0.25	9.62%	2.9	2.1	2,350	18
	132	0.07	2.9	2.20%	1.6	55.17%	0.27	9.31%	3.2	2.5	2,820	20
	154	0.07	3.1	2.01%	1.7	54.84%	0.29	9.35%	3.5	2.9	3,290	21
	176	0.07	3.3	1.88%	1.8	54.55%	0.31	9.39%	3.8	3.3	3,760	22
	198	0.07	3.5	1.77%	1.9	54.29%	0.33	9.43%	4.1	3.6	4,230	24
Last 4 weeks gestation (130-150% lambing rate expected) or last 4–6 weeks lactation suckling singles	110	0.40 (0.10)	3.5	3.18%	2.1	60.00%	0.38	10.86%	5.9	4.8	4,250	24
	132	0.40 (0.10)	3.7	2.80%	2.2	59.46%	0.4	10.81%	6	5.2	5,100	26
	154	0.40 (0.10)	4	2.60%	2.3	57.50%	0.42	10.50%	6.2	5.6	5,950	27
	176	0.40 (0.10)	4.2	2.39%	2.4	57.14%	0.44	10.48%	6.3	6.1	6,800	28
	198	0.40 (0.10)	4.4	2.22%	2.5	56.82%	0.47	10.68%	6.4	6.5	7,650	30
Last 4 weeks gestation (180–225% lambing rate expected)	110	0.5	3.7	3.36%	2.4	64.86%	0.43	11.62%	6.2	3.4	4,250	26
	132	0.5	4	3.03%	2.6	65.00%	0.45	11.25%	6.9	4	5,100	27
	154	0.5	4.2	2.73%	2.8	66.67%	0.47	11.19%	7.6	4.5	5,950	28
	176	0.5	4.4	2.50%	2.9	65.91%	0.49	11.14%	8.3	5.1	6,800	30
	198	0.5	4.6	2.32%	3	65.22%	0.51	11.09%	8.9	5.7	7,650	32
First 6–8 weeks lactation suckling singles or last 4–6 weeks lactation suckling twins	110	-0.06	4.6	4.18%	3	65.22%	0.67	14.57%	8.9	6.1	4,250	32
	132	-0.06	5.1	3.86%	3.3	64.71%	0.7	13.73%	9.1	6.6	5,100	34
	154	-0.06	5.5	3.57%	3.6	65.45%	0.73	13.27%	9.3	7	5,950	38
	176	-0.06	5.7	3.24%	3.7	64.91%	0.76	13.33%	9.5	7.4	6,800	39
	198	-0.06	5.9	2.98%	3.8	64.41%	0.78	13.22%	9.6	7.8	7,650	40
First 6–8 weeks lactation suckling twins	110	-0.13	5.3	4.82%	3.4	64.15%	0.86	16.23%	10.5	7.3	5,000	36
	132	-0.13	5.7	4.32%	3.7	64.91%	0.89	15.61%	10.7	7.7	6,000	39
	154	-0.13	6.2	4.03%	4	64.52%	0.92	14.84%	11	8.1	7,000	42
	176	-0.13	6.6	3.75%	4.3	65.15%	0.96	14.55%	11.2	8.6	8,000	45
	198	-0.13	7	3.54%	4.6	65.71%	0.99	14.14%	11.4	9	9,000	48

Ewe lambs and ram lambs

Table 2. Daily nutrient requirements (amounts and percentages in diet dry matter) of ewe lambs and ram lambs
	Weight (lb)	Wt Change (lb/day)	DM Intake (lb)	DM Intake (%BW)	TDN (lb)	TDN (%)	Protein (lb)	Protein (%)	Ca (g)	P (g)	Vitamin A (IU)	Vitamin E (IU)
Nonlactating — First 15 weeks gestation	88	0.35	3.1	3.52%	1.8	58.06%	0.34	10.97%	5.5	3	1,880	21
	110	0.3	3.3	3.00%	1.9	57.58%	0.35	10.61%	5.2	3.1	2,350	22
	132	0.3	3.5	2.65%	2	57.14%	0.35	10.00%	5.5	3.4	2,820	24
	154	0.28	3.7	2.40%	2.2	59.46%	0.36	9.73%	5.5	3.7	3,290	26
Last 4 weeks gestation (100–120% lambing rate expected)	88	0.4	3.3	3.75%	2.1	63.64%	0.41	12.42%	6.4	3.1	3,400	22
	110	0.35	3.5	3.18%	2.2	62.86%	0.42	12.00%	6.3	3.4	4,250	24
	132	0.35	3.7	2.80%	2.4	64.86%	0.42	11.35%	6.6	3.8	5,100	26
	154	0.33	4	2.60%	2.5	62.50%	0.43	10.75%	6.8	4.2	5,950	27
Last 4 weeks of gestation (130–175% lambing rate expected)	88	0.5	3.3	3.75%	2.2	66.67%	0.44	13.33%	7.4	3.5	3,400	22
	110	0.5	3.5	3.18%	2.3	65.71%	0.45	12.86%	7.8	3.9	4,250	24
	132	0.5	3.7	2.80%	2.5	67.57%	0.46	12.43%	8.1	4.3	5,100	26
	154	0.47	4	2.60%	2.5	62.50	0.46	11.50%	8.2	4.7	5,950	27
First 6–8 weeks lactation suckling singles (wean by 8 weeks)	88	-0.11	3.7	4.20%	2.5	67.57%	0.56	15.14%	6	4.3	3,400	26
	110	-0.11	4.6	4.18%	3.1	67.39%	0.62	13.48%	6.5	4.7	4,250	32
	132	-0.11	5.1	3.86%	3.4	66.67%	0.65	12.75%	6.8	5.1	5,100	34
	154	-0.11	5.5	3.57%	3.6	65.45%	0.68	12.36%	7.1	5.6	5,450	38
First 6–8 weeks lactation suckling twins (wean by 8 weeks)	88	-0.22	4.6	5.23%	3.2	69.57%	0.67	14.57%	8.4	5.6	4,000	32
	110	-0.22	5.1	4.64%	3.5	68.63%	0.71	13.92%	8.7	6	5,000	34
	132	-0.22	5.5	4.17%	3.8	69.09%	0.74	13.45%	9	6.4	6,000	38
	154	-0.22	6	3.90%	4.1	68.33%	0.77	12.83%	9.3	6.9	7,000	40
Replacement ewe lambs	66	0.5	2.6	3.94%	1.7	65.38%	0.41	15.77%	6.4	2.6	1,410	18
	88	0.4	3.1	3.52%	2	64.52%	0.39	12.58%	5.9	2.6	1,880	21
	110	0.26	3.3	3.00%	1.9	57.58%	0.3	9.09%	4.8	2.4	2,350	22
	132	0.22	3.3	2.50%	1.9	57.58%	0.3	9.09%	4.5	2.5	2,820	22
	154	0.22	3.3	2.14%	1.9	57.58%	0.29	8.79%	4.6	2.8	3,290	22
Replacement ram lambs	88	0.73	4	4.55%	2.5	62.50%	0.54	13.50%	7.8	3.7	1,880	24
	132	0.7	5.3	4.02%	3.4	64.15%	0.58	10.94%	8.4	4.2	2,820	26
	176	0.64	6.2	3.52%	3.9	62.90%	0.59	9.52%	8.5	4.6	3,760	28
	220	0.55	6.6	3.00%	4.2	63.64%	0.58	8.79%	8.2	4.8	4,700	30

Growing and finishing lambs

Table 3. Daily nutrient requirements (amounts and percentages in diet dry matter) of growing and finishing lambs
	Weight (lb)	Wt Change (lb/day)	DM Intake (lb)	DM Intake (%BW)	TDN (lb)	TDN (%)	Protein (lb)	Protein (%)	Ca (g)	P (g)	Vitamin A (IU)	Vitamin E (IU)
Lambs finishing 4–7 months old	66	0.65	2.9	4.39%	2.1	72.41%	0.42	14.48	6.6	3.2	1,410	20
	88	0.6	3.5	3.98%	2.7	77.14%	0.41	11.71%	6.6	3.3	1,880	24
	110	0.45	3.5	3.18%	2.7	77.14%	0.35	10.00%	5.6	3	2,350	24
Early weaned lambs — Moderate growth potential	22	0.44	1.1	5.00%	0.9	81.82%	0.38	34.55%	4	1.9	470	10
	44	0.55	2.2	5.00%	1.8	81.82%	0.37	16.82%	5.4	2.5	940	20
	66	0.66	2.9	4.39%	2.2	75.86%	0.42	14.48%	6.7	3.2	1,410	20
	88	0.76	3.3	3.75%	2.6	78.79%	0.44	13.33%	7.7	3.9	1,880	22
	110	0.66	3.3	3.00%	2.6	78.79%	0.4	12.12%	7	3.8	2,350	22
Early weaned lambs — Rapid growth potential	22	0.55	1.3	5.91%	1.1	84.62%	0.35	26.92%	4.9	2.2	470	12
	44	0.66	2.6	5.91%	2	76.92%	0.45	17.31%	6.5	2.9	940	24
	66	0.72	3.1	4.70%	2.4	77.42%	0.48	15.48%	7.2	3.4	1,410	21
	88	0.88	3.3	3.75%	2.5	75.76%	0.51	15.45%	8.6	4.3	1,880	22
	110	0.94	3.7	3.36%	2.8	75.68%	0.53	14.32%	9.4	4.8	2,350	25
	132	0.77	3.7	2.80%	2.8	75.68%	0.53	14.32%	8.2	4.5	2,820	25

1Adapted from National Research Council, Nutrient Requirements of Sheep (1985).

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